Apparatus for producing smoke



July 21, 1953 F. w. H. WATSON 2,646,032

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SMOKE I Filed June 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' w July 21, 1953 w, w soN 2,646,032

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SMOKE Fild June 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 21, 1953 UNITED: s 'rArss PATENT OF 1 Frederick William Horn Watson, Glasgow, Scot- I land, assignor to The Mirrlees Watson Company Limited, Glasgow, Scotland, a company of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Application June 13, 1950, Serial No. 167,900 In Great Britain June 23, 1949 An apparatus according to the invention is adapted to burn sawdust, peat or other form of fuel, which is fed to the burner apparatus by means of an underfeed or other mechanical stoker.

The apparatus includes a casing formed at the top with an outlet for the smoke and accommodating within its lower portion a retort structure upwardly through which the fuel is fed by the stoker.

Surrounding the retort structure is a perforated grate or liveplate upon which the fuel is spread by a rotary spreader arranged immediately above the grate.

Fitted around the top of the retort structure is a rising ring which causes the incoming fuel to rise to the top of the fuel bed before admixture of the fuel with combustion air and ignition take place, resulting, in effect, in overfeed of the grate.

The fuel spreader may include blades or arms carried by an upright shaft which may be gear and chain driven from an extension of a shaft of the stoker.

A small power-driven variable-output pump may be provided for the purpose of supplying a metered quantity of water'to the fuel entering the retort, so that the correct conditions may be maintained for the maximum production of smoke.

A smoke-producing apparatus according to the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 is a part plan part horizontal section, of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is drawn to a larger scale than Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the smoke-producing apparatus shown is adapted to burn sawdust, peat or other form of fuel, which is fed to the apparatus by means of an underfeed or other mechanical stoker part of which is indicated generally at H).

The apparatus includes an outer cylindrical casing H formed at the top with an outlet l2 for the smoke and accommodating within its lower portion a centrally disposed upwardly divergent retort structure l3 upwardly through which the fuel is fed by the worm IE or the like of the stoker Ill. The rate of feed of the stoker may be regulated as desired while th stoker is operating.

Surrounding the retort structure I3 is a perforated grate or liveplate l6 upon which the fuel is spread by a multi-bladed rotary spreader IT arranged immediately above the grate.

. by an upright shaft 22 which is gear and chain Fitted around the top of the retort structure I 3 is a rising ring I8 which causes the incoming fuel to rise to the top of the fuel bed at l9 before admixture of the fuel with combustion air and ignition take place, resulting, in effect, in overfeed of the grate.

The perforations in the grate or liveplate l6 are constituted by small air inlet orifices 20 communicating with an air chamber 2| below the grate. Air for combustion may be controlled at the suction side and at the delivery side of an air supply fan. 1

The fuel spreader blades or arms H are carried driven from an extension 23 of the worm shaft 24 of the stoker.

A small power-driven variable-output pump 25 is provided for the purpose of supplying through a pipe connection 26 a metered quantity of water to the fuel entering the retort I3 so that the correct conditions may be maintained for the maximum production of smoke. The amount of water supplied is proportional to the quantity of fuel being fed to the fire, the proportion being regulatable by the operator.

A smoke filter 21 may be provided within the upper portion of the casing I l.

The elements of combustion are all under control.

I claim:

A smoke-producing apparatus for use in the curing industry, including an upright casing provided with an outlet for smoke at the top, a retort structure located centrally in the lower portion of the casing and having a diverging Wall terminating in a fuel outlet opening facing upwardly in the casing, a laterally-extending worm for feeding fuel into the lower portion of and upwardly through the retort structure, a perforated laterally-extending grate on a level with and surrounding the cutlet portion of the retort structure for supporting a fuel bed, a rising ring fitted around the outlet opening at the top of the retort structure and adapted to cause fuel fed upwardly in the retort structure to move upwardly to a level above the said grate and be deposited on top of the fuel bed on the grate, a rotary fuel spreader immediately above the ring including an upright shaft axially arranged with respect to the ring and laterally-extending blades carried on the lower end portion of th shaft and extending radially directly over the top of the ring and over the grate and spaced a substantial distance above the grate, said blades being adapted to spread the fuel delivered through and to the top of the ring over the surface of the fuel bed on the grate,

said blades having operative edges located below References Cited in the file of this patent the level of the top of the rising ring, means interconnected with the worm and with the upright UNITED STATES PATENTS shaft above the blades for driving the shaft and Number Name Date the blades, a smoke filter in the upper portion of 5,- 113575354 Chapman May 1932 the casing above said upright shaft, and means Chapman 22, 1932 including a power-driven variable putput pump 07 Gray Mali 2, 1937 for supplying a metered quanti-typf wgtei to the K2 Grege! 1944 fuel being fed to the retort strhetu're b he worm; I 5 2 Iqadd 19, 1%6

FREDERICK WILLIAMlI-IOBN WATSON: Llpton J uly 1 1950 I o FOREIGN PATENTS 1 Country Date I .'.Germany Mar. 3, 1928 

